Controversial activist Shaun King, who has been accused of profiting off the death of Tamir Rice, swaps his New York City apartment for lavish $842,000 five-bedroom lakefront home in New Jersey

  • Controversial activist Shaun King, 41, moved into a $842,000 five-bedroom, four-bathroom lakefront home in North Brunswick, New Jersey
  • King has been accused of insincere motives and deception from his shady dealings to the question of his race
  • The mother of Tamir Rice, a black 12-year-old who was shot and killed by a white police officer in November 2014, called King out on Instagram last month
  • She accused the activist of 'profiting off her son's death' and called him an 'imposter' and a 'white man'
  • King had previously raised $60,000 following Tamir's death, but the family said they were unaware of any fundraiser 
  • A court later seized the money and it was put in Tamir's estate

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Controversial activist Shaun King has swapped his two-bedroom apartment in New York City for a luxury five-bedroom luxury home on a New Jersey lakefront.  

Shaun King and his wife, Rai-Tonicia, are being criticized for their new lavish home

Shaun King and his wife, Rai-Tonicia, are being criticized for their new lavish home

King, 41, has become a controversial figure in the Black Lives Matter and criminal justice reform movements after his racial identity was questioned. King's career has also been plagued by accusations of insincere motives and deception from his shady dealings.  

The new property, purchased by King's wife, Rai-Tonicia King, 41, in November 2020 for $842,000, is surrounded by lush, tall trees sitting on Farrington Lake. It has 'a lakefront backyard' and gourmet kitchen, according to public records.  

Rai-Tonicia is a Ph.D. candidate and educator. Last year she founded Hands In Learning, an 'education nonprofit providing high quality, virtual academic and enrichment classes for students all across the world regardless of their ability to pay.' 

The $842,000 house is above the average $217,500 home value in New Brunswick. The town of 41,431 is 45% White, 24% Asian, 20% Black, and 19% Hispanic with much smaller percentages of other races, according to Census data.

Shaun King recently moved into a lavish lakefront home in North Brunswick, New Jersey with his wife and five children

Shaun King recently moved into a lavish lakefront home in North Brunswick, New Jersey with his wife and five children

The King family left their luxury two-bedroom in Brooklyn, New York to move an hour and a half away to New Jersey

The King family left their luxury two-bedroom in Brooklyn, New York to move an hour and a half away to New Jersey 

The five bedroom and four bathroom home was purchased in November by King's wife, Rai-Toincia

The five bedroom and four bathroom home was purchased in November by King's wife, Rai-Toincia

The center piece of the home is the gourmet kitchen featuring quartz counters, center island, and breakfast area

The center piece of the home is the gourmet kitchen featuring quartz counters, center island, and breakfast area

According to Zillow, the property was purchased for $842,000 which is higher than the estimated median home value of North Brunswick which is $341,000

According to Zillow, the property was purchased for $842,000 which is higher than the estimated median home value of North Brunswick which is $341,000

The house was built in 1986 on 0.25 acres with an attached two-car garage to accommodate the fluctuating family

The house was built in 1986 on 0.25 acres with an attached two-car garage to accommodate the fluctuating family   

The many windows offer endless views of Farrington Lake which runs through East Brunswick, North Brunswick, and South Brunswick

The many windows offer endless views of Farrington Lake which runs through East Brunswick, North Brunswick, and South Brunswick

The house is situated at the end of a culdesac offering less passing traffic and more privacy for the residents

The house is situated at the end of a culdesac offering less passing traffic and more privacy for the residents 

In June, the mother of Tamir Rice, a black 12-year-old who was shot and killed by a white police officer in Cleveland in 2014, took to Instagram to blast King for profiting off of her son's death and brand him an 'imposter.'

The post came shortly after King - who raised as much as $60,000 for Tamir's family after his death without their consent - posted a new podcast to his website titled 'I spoke to Samaria Rice this past week.' 

The episode seems to have since been deleted, and is no longer listed under the episodes for 'Breakdown with Shaun King.'

'Why do you think it's so important to tell folks we had a conversation?' Rice asked King in her Instagram post, which was captioned: 'For anyone that wants to know the truth.'

'Well we talked and everything you said was very toxic and uncomfortable for me to hear that you raised additional money, and then say you did not want to bother me,' she continued. 

'Personally, I don't understand how you sleep at night. I never gave you permission to raise nothing.'

'Along with the United States, you robbed me for the death of my son.'

The two-story home has one guest bedroom on the first floor and four bedrooms on the second floor of the family home

The two-story home has one guest bedroom on the first floor and four bedrooms on the second floor of the family home 

North Brunswick, New Jersey has a population of 41,431 with an estimated 14,243 households in the city

 North Brunswick, New Jersey has a population of 41,431 with an estimated 14,243 households in the city 

The rooms feature hardwood flooring and white walls which are flooded with natural lighting with the many windows

The rooms feature hardwood flooring and white walls which are flooded with natural lighting with the many windows

Nearly every room in the house offers views of Farrington Lake through the trees

Nearly every room in the house offers views of Farrington Lake through the trees 

The house

The home has three full bathrooms and a 1/2 bath. The white title bathrooms have an open feeling with a glass standing shower and windows

The modern bathrooms are covered in granite floors and counters with lots of storage space in the mirrors, drawers, and shelves

The modern bathrooms are covered in granite floors and counters with lots of storage space in the mirrors, drawers, and shelves

A completely glassed in sunroom and deck continue the kitchen's open concept with a wall of glass doors leading to the covered deck which overlooks the lash backyard

A completely glassed in sunroom and deck continue the kitchen's open concept with a wall of glass doors leading to the covered deck which overlooks the lash backyard

The enclosed patio connects the house to the beautiful backyard and a smaller open air deck to enjoy the fresh air

The enclosed patio connects the house to the beautiful backyard and a smaller open air deck to enjoy the fresh air 

The windows, glass doors, encased patio and open-air deck accentuate the natural beauty of the lakefront home

The windows, glass doors, encased patio and open-air deck accentuate the natural beauty of the lakefront home

An outdoor open-air deck allows for unobstructed views of the greenery and the lakefront and small dock

An outdoor open-air deck allows for unobstructed views of the greenery and the lakefront and small dock 

The waters of Lake Farrington cover 290 acres of land to enjoy fishing or just relaxing on the lake on your kayak or boat

The waters of Lake Farrington cover 290 acres of land to enjoy fishing or just relaxing on the lake on your kayak or boat

The house is 20 minutes to Princeton, 10 minutes to Rutgers, and 10 minutes to the express bus to Wall Street, Midtown, and Port Authority

The house is 20 minutes to Princeton, 10 minutes to Rutgers, and 10 minutes to the express bus to Wall Street, Midtown, and Port Authority 

Tamir Rice was shot and killed by Timothy Loehmann, a 26-year-old white police officer, in Cleveland on November 22, 2014, when he was carrying a toy gun. 

His death quickly made national and international news, and sparked outrage across the country.

Shortly after his death, King held an online fundraiser for the Rice family, but attorneys for the family said at the time they had not spoken to King and did not know who he was.

A court then seized the money on behalf of the family, the Washington Post reported in 2015, and set up a trustee to manage the funds, placing all the money into Tamir Rice’s estate, meaning that any withdrawal would require a judge’s ruling.

So, rather than being gifted the money directly, the Rice family would have to apply for each disbursement.

Family man: Rai and Shaun have five children, and have taken in other children in the past (Shaun above with four of his children)

Family man: Rai and Shaun have five children, and have taken in other children in the past (Shaun above with four of his children)

Samaria Rice, the mother of Tamir Rice, called out activist Shaun King in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
King had posted a new episode to his podcast entitled 'I spoke to Samaria Rice this past week' and detailing what he thought of their conversation

Samaria Rice, left, the mother of Tamir Rice, called out activist Shaun King, right, in an Instagram post on Tuesday after he posted an episode of his podcast entitled 'I spoke to Samaria Rice this past week,' and detailed his thoughts on the conversation.

In her Instagram post, Rice criticized King, calling him an 'imposter that cannot be trusted.'

In her Instagram post, Rice criticized King, calling him an 'imposter that cannot be trusted.'

Tamir Rice, pictured, was just 12 years old when he was shot and killed by a white police officer in Cleveland, Ohio on November 22, 2014

Tamir Rice, pictured, was just 12 years old when he was shot and killed by a white police officer in Cleveland, Ohio on November 22, 2014

In a blog post accompanying his podcast episode first released in June, King said he and Rice spoke about the issue.

'It was a much needed conversation,' he wrote. 'I learned a lot. Listened a lot. Shared my heart. and pledged we would continue to fight to get justice and accountability for Tamir.'

He said he was shocked that Rice knew who he was, as he had spent the past few months trying to reach her 'through civil rights leader Opal Tometi and through the families of Oscar Grant and Philando Castile in an attempt to hear from her directly and answer any questions she might have.'

He said she was aware that he had tried to reach out to her, 'And then she spoke for a good 20 minutes about her pain, her frustrations, her questions and her struggles.

'She acknowledged that I was aware that I had written articles about Tamir across the years and had raised money for her family, but it was in that part of the conversation that I truly came to understand a central mistake that I had made with her.

'For the past seven years, I have left Samaria Rice alone,' he concluded.

'As a general rule, when a family impacted by police violence asks for my help with fundraising or advocacy I do it - not only with no questions asked, but I do it with zero expectations from the grieved family.'

'Ultimately, I learned that [Rice] didn't even know most of what I had done for her,' he said. 'That's my fault, and I'll never let that happen again.'  

But Rice had a completely different recounting of events in her Instagram post, saying he gave her a 'cop and donut conversation.'

'All lies Shaun, please stop thinking we on the same page,' she wrote. 'As a white man acting black, you are an imposter that cannot be trusted.

'My son was 12 years old, and DOJ needs to reopen his case, period.

'Tamir's Human rights was violated, who would you so ever make it about you? You are a selfish self-centered person and God will deal with you, white man.'

King has previously said he has been told by his mother that 'the white man on my birth certificate is not my biological father, and that my actual biological father is a light-skinned black man.'

Back in 2015, a family member confirmed in an interview that both of King's parents are white. CNN's Don Lemon spoke with an unidentified member of Shaun King's family who said that King was born to white parents.  

Lemon also spoke to King himself over text message, and asked him directly about his race.

'Initially he did not answer but later referred to himself as biracial,' said Lemon. 

'But then when I asked him if that’s what it shows on his birth certificate I did not hear back from him. No answer on that.' 

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